Harrisburg PA to Newburgh, NY via Allentown

[BeenThere DoneThat]

Getting down the the details of our summer trip. I will be in Harrisburg, PA and need to go to Newburgh, NY. My family wants to stop at the Crayola factory in Easton, PA (near Allentown) during the drive. The route from Allentown to Newburgh is bothering me as the most ovious is I-78 to I-287 to I-87. I want to avoid the congested NY City area traffic and I-287 looks like it gets fairly close.
Thoughts?

[BeenThere DoneThat]

Getting down the the details of our summer trip. I will be in Harrisburg, PA and need to go to Newburgh, NY. My family wants to stop at the Crayola factory in Easton, PA (near Allentown) during the drive. The route from Allentown to Newburgh is bothering me as the most ovious is I-78 to I-287 to I-87. I want to avoid the congested NY City area traffic and I-287 looks like it gets fairly close.
Thoughts?

[Nonno]

Tony,

In the Allentown area go North on State Route 33 to State Route 209. Continue North thru the Delaware Water Gap. This will intersect with I-84. Go east and it will take you into Newburgh. 33 is mostly 4 lane and 209 is primarily 2 lane. It's not 65 mph but it's a nice ride.

I notice you're from DeBary. We were there about a week ago visiting family.

[NYMoose "Lenny"]

You can also take I81 to I84. I am just North of Newburgh, are you going to one of the campgrounds in the area? Let me know if you need anything while here. lenny@len-richrv.net

[BeenThere DoneThat]

The I81-I84 would have been my first choice, but it does not take me via Allentown to see the Crayola factory in Easton. (Which is on my family's "must see" list for this trip.)

[Ding-a-ling]

Hey Tony!

Definitely take Bob Russo's advice. Route 209 thru Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area is a very scenic drive.

(We're in the Allentown area.)

[Ding-a-ling]

Tony,

One cautionary note:

I-78 from the Shartlesville area to the Lehigh County line west of Allentown is the roughest highway you will find in much of the USA. But, to get to Easton from Harrisburg, that's the way. A lot of it can be avoided by getting off I-78 and finding old Route 22 at Lenhartsville and take that to Route 100. It would be a lot smoother.

Good luck!

P.S.
If anyone is familiar with this part of I-78 and thinks there is worse, I'd like to know where. In all our travels east to west and north to south the worst road is only 1/2 hour from home.

[Bill1374]

Tony,
287 to 87 is not real bad for traffic unless you are at rush hour. We use that route quite often and its livable. Of course 78 might jar your teeth out.( my apologies to our Pa friends but that darn stretch is real bad.)
We used to refer to 209 as the hochimin trail years ago. I don't think I would put that on my favorite MH road to travel.
Bill

[Jestme13]

Ding a ling is right, I 78 is the worst. Be especialy cautious of the construction at the RT 61 exit, Hamburg PA. That is where Cabela's is. We sat for 1 1/2 hr in stopped traffic last Thursday. Get off and use old Rt 22 before you get to Hamburg. Jump back on at Rt 100.

[Cousin Ed]

We snowbird from I/84 Exit 2 in NY and like to avoid I/81 in the bad weather......but I/78 is SO BAD that we use 81. 33 & 209 are great and we love to stop at Cabela's but 78 has to be the worst road on the USA.

[BeenThere DoneThat]

Update. Due to the road conditions and "when do we see xxxx" decisions, we are not going to stop in Allentown on this leg. (We will still catch the Crayola factory, but as a day trip out of Philly before we go to Harrisburg.)
It's only 5 miles longer to do the I81 to I84 route.
NYMoose:
We have to pick up my daughter at the Allentown Airport on a Sunday. We thought we would drive over to Allentown on Sat morning and do some laundary. Sun will be pick-up kid about noon and relax. Drive to NH on Monday.
We have not picked a campground yet. We normally do KOAs since we have kids, and the closest is in Plattekill. We are open to suggestions on a campground.

[NYMoose "Lenny"]

Hey! I personally don't care for most KOA's, but I have to say, I do like the Newburgh one. Very wooded, and clean. Ther is also a Yogi Bear/Jellystone, in Gardiner just up the road from the KOA, that is real nice as well. Both are in the top ten of the country! E-mail me if you need further lenny@len-richrv.net

[PJCoon]

AHHHH, I am headed to Hershey Thousand Trails next week, and didn't realize how bad I-78 is (I seem to remember from last year it was a little rough - so is now alot rough?) Wanted to stop at Cabela's and also at Show Hauler dealer in Denver, PA. I have 30' Class C towing a car. I vaguely remember Ho-Che-Min Trail from truck driving days (Route 209?). I usually do the I-87, I-287, I-78 run down from VT. I've also done the I-84, I-81 run, but don't care for it. I am always leery of getting off the interstates and onto unfamiliar 2-lane roads (lots of city traffic, smaller roads, tunnels, bridges, etc.) as I am a solo driver. So, guess I need to look at the PA map a little closer to find Cabela's and Denver PA - is it Route 22 or 33, 100 or 209? Suggestions? Thanks.

[Cousin Ed]

When we use 78 we get to it from Port Jervis, NY. We take 209 to I/80 to 22 to 33 to I/78. Except for the I/78 part the roads aren't too bad.

Because we run right at max weight we have our tires @ 95 psi; so maybe it just feels bad to us!